Westco battery fails (again)

pws wrote:
> Frank Berger wrote:
>
>>> My Duralast battery fits in the same spot with the same bracket. It
>>> even has the vent hose connections.
>>> It was around $90.00 from Autonzone, but I received a partial credit
>>> from the last one not making it to the end of the warranty period.
>>>
>>> I like getting the battery from Autozone because of how easy it is
>>> to find a store to do a swap-out, and never waiting for it to be
>>> mailed. That said, I still might get a Westco next time since with a OTM
>>> it
>>> is now OK for the car to go down for a couple of days at a time.
>>>
>>> Pat
>>
>> I tried, but I can't decipher that. "OTM?" "Go down?" Where? Sorry, if
>> I'm being dumb.
>
> Nah, not being dumb. That should have been, "OTM vehicle", meaning
> other than Miata. By "go down", I meant for the car to go down, as in
> not be operational.
> That used to be a cause for great concern if it happened to my Miata
> for even a day, but with a Honda Accord backup, things are easier now
> in that regard.
>
> Pat

Got it. in 13 years, my miata has gone down (other than a few dead
batteries which were always discovered at home on a cold morning) only once.
Overheated with a bad radiator on the highway. Only time it was towed. With
everything else that ever went wrong with it, it kept plugging along or gave
me enough warning.

KWS wrote:
> Frank Berger wrote:
>> Second time in four years. I don't know why I only seem to get 3-4
>> years out of a Westco, when I hear people get 5-7 years. Is my
>> result really atypical?
>>
>>
> In April, my Westco will have been in the '90 Miata for eight years. I
> have been thinking about changing it simply as a preventative measure.

Sounds like a good idea.

> My Duralast battery fits in the same spot with the same bracket. It even
> has the vent hose connections.
> It was around $90.00 from Autonzone, but I received a partial credit
> from the last one not making it to the end of the warranty period.
>
> I like getting the battery from Autozone because of how easy it is to
> find a store to do a swap-out, and never waiting for it to be mailed.
>

I agree having the exchange convenience is really nice, but the
duralast I put in my 97 only last 5 months. Went out one
morning...cranked really really slow. Later that day it was gone. I
thought I had a bad alternator that was draining it. Turns out it was
at least one dead cell and another shorted. Autozone warrantied it,
been fine since.

Another car of mine, the duralast battery sprung an acid leak at one
of the terminals. It was under the positive boot, went unnoticed until
one day I thought...gee, why is that boot all puffed up. Ate the whole
damn terminal right off the end of my battery cable. Autozone gave me
10% off on a new battery for the trouble, but now that's 2 for 2 on
the duralast batteries, and I had to fix the battery cable.

Chris

If you have what Pat likes to call an OTM, why not get all you can out of
that little ......... cell! You might as well set the curve ;-)

Chris
99BBB

"Frank Berger" > wrote in message
m...
> KWS wrote:
>> Frank Berger wrote:
>>> Second time in four years. I don't know why I only seem to get 3-4
>>> years out of a Westco, when I hear people get 5-7 years. Is my
>>> result really atypical?
>>>
>>>
>> In April, my Westco will have been in the '90 Miata for eight years. I
>> have been thinking about changing it simply as a preventative measure.
>
> Sounds like a good idea.
>
>
>

It's like timing belts. They let go in the most inconvenient places.
While it's tempting, I like the "preventative" aspect of it.

Ken


Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
> If you have what Pat likes to call an OTM, why not get all you can out
> of that little ......... cell! You might as well set the curve ;-)
>
> Chris
> 99BBB
>
> "Frank Berger" > wrote in message
> m...
>> KWS wrote:
>>> Frank Berger wrote:
>>>> Second time in four years. I don't know why I only seem to get 3-4
>>>> years out of a Westco, when I hear people get 5-7 years. Is my
>>>> result really atypical?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> In April, my Westco will have been in the '90 Miata for eight years. I
>>> have been thinking about changing it simply as a preventative measure.
>>
>> Sounds like a good idea.
>>
>>
>>
>

KWS wrote:
> It's like timing belts. They let go in the most inconvenient places.
> While it's tempting, I like the "preventative" aspect of it.
>
> Ken

My one experience with a broken timing belt was about one mile from the
driveway, and it was all level or downhill home. I just pushed/coasted
it back to the house. :-)

That was also the timing belt that lasted less than 30K miles.

My last battery failure happened on a hill and I roll-started it in
reverse.
Despite my abnormal good luck with the latest Miata breakdowns, I agree,
replacing the battery now is a very good idea. Eight years out of one
battery is fantastic.

Pat

pws wrote:
> KWS wrote:
>> It's like timing belts. They let go in the most inconvenient places.
>> While it's tempting, I like the "preventative" aspect of it.
>>
>> Ken
>
> My one experience with a broken timing belt was about one mile from the
> driveway, and it was all level or downhill home. I just pushed/coasted
> it back to the house. :-)
>
> That was also the timing belt that lasted less than 30K miles.
>
> My last battery failure happened on a hill and I roll-started it in
> reverse.
> Despite my abnormal good luck with the latest Miata breakdowns, I agree,
> replacing the battery now is a very good idea. Eight years out of one
> battery is fantastic.
>
> Pat

Many years ago, I was coming down the hill leading to my home when the
throwout bearing fork failed on my 70 TR6. Coasted to a stop in the
driveway. Yep....I had one of those moments too, but I think there is a
limit per lifetime.

Ken